The invention relates to a fastening system for overhead storage bins that can be mounted on a supporting structure in a suspended manner, with at least one pair of suspension eye lugs that can be attached to the supporting structure or to one of the overhead storage bins, with a main pin for the detachable interconnection of the suspension eye lugs, and with receivers that are attached to the suspension eye lugs for the main pin and that align with each other in an installation position of the overhead storage bin, wherein a part of one of the suspension eye lugs is constructed like an inclined ramp, wherein a main pin guide is provided in the receiver of one of the suspension eye lugs, wherein the main pin is spring-loaded in the main pin guide in the direction of the other suspension eye lug and assumes, when the overhead storage bin has not yet been mounted, an end position in which the main pin is extended out of the main pin guide, and wherein the main pin can be extended by the spring bias loading into the receiver of the other suspension eye lug by the part of one of the suspension eye lugs formed like an inclined ramp during the upward movement of the overhead storage bin and its suspension eye lug into the installation position.
Below, such a fastening system is indeed described in its use for the mounting of overhead storage bins, such as luggage containers, on the supporting structure of an aircraft. Such a fastening system, however, can be used anywhere it is applicable to mount overhead storage bins in a suspended manner. The suspension eye lug provided with the main pin guide is indeed advantageously mounted on the supporting structure, but the suspension eye lugs of a pair could be exchanged one for the other. In the development of new cabins for new models of aircraft, such as the Airbus A350, the goal is to design elements to be mounted on the fuselage, such as toilets, galley kitchens, passenger seats, cabin power networks, cabin lighting and air nozzles, overhead storage bins, and parcel shelves each as a complete cabin module, wherein, however, all connecting points are to be constructed as flexible standardized interfaces and wherein simplified fastening designs are to be used that allow installation and removal without the use of tools (cf. the article “Cabin development—a new approach for the A350—cabin customization,” Zeitschrift One, German edition, Dec. 18, 2006, p. 23).
In a known fastening, which is used for the suspended mounting of luggage containers in an aircraft, more than three people are required for mounting each luggage container. At least three people lift the luggage container into an installation position. A pin (loose part) connects the suspension eye lugs of each pair to each other. For mounting these pins, special tools are required, such as hammers, pliers, etc. Moreover, the known fastening system does indeed make possible a secure fastening of the luggage containers on the supporting structure, wherein the fastening system distinguishes itself through its light weight, good force absorption, low price per part, and a small number of components, but opposing these features are relatively long installation and removal times, the relatively large number of people required for installing and removing a luggage container, and the need for tools. The loose pins could also be lost. These limitations have the result that attention must be paid in the cabin configuration of aircraft to manage with as few variants as possible. This is associated with loss of flexibility in the cabin configuration. It is also disadvantageous that the removal is complicated, because the pins can be removed again only with difficulty and typically only with special tools.
An older proposal of the applicant (corresponding to the document DE 10 2009 026 250 A1 that was not yet published on the priority date of the present application) involves constructing a fastening system so that it makes possible a faster and simpler installation and removal of overhead storage bins, such as luggage containers, on a supporting structure, in particular, in wide-body aircraft, wherein installation and removal should be possible with two people, without special tools, and without loose parts.
For this purpose, according to the older proposal, a pin guide is provided in one supporting sleeve in alignment with its receiver sleeve, wherein the pin is retracted into this pin guide but it can be locked in a spring-loaded manner in the direction of a receiver sleeve of the receiver of one of the suspension eye lugs and can be unlocked by at least approximately aligning the receivers of the suspension eye lug pair and can be extended at least into a receiver sleeve of the receiver of the other suspension eye lug in which a suspension eye lug is formed in a suspension sleeve.
In the fastening system according to the older proposal, the non-extended pin is located in the pin guide under spring bias loading. The pin is thus not a loose part, but instead mounted captively from the beginning on one of the suspension eye lugs of the pair. This allows the installation of an overhead storage bin by fewer people than in the prior art, because the overhead storage bins must be lifted only until the receiver sleeves attached to the suspension eye lugs are essentially aligned with each other. In this way, the pin is released and is then extended by the existing spring bias loading into the receiver sleeve of the other suspension eye lug. Thus, the overhead storage bin is already locked onto one suspension eye lug. The pin can then be completely extended by hand if necessary at a later time and inserted into the receiver sleeve of the suspension eye lug. Removal is just as easy in the reverse sequence, without the need for a special tool for extending and retracting the pin. One of the people who have lifted the overhead storage bin up into the installation position is free after the first locking of the other suspension eye lug on the first suspension eye lug and can work on the final extension of the pin. The fastening system according to the older proposal thus allows easier installation and removal of overhead storage bins, such as luggage containers, that can be mounted in a suspended manner in aircraft with lower personnel costs. The safety is also increased, because there are no loose parts that could be lost and could cause interruptions. At the same time, more flexibility is achieved in the cabin equipment. The simple fastening system according to the older proposal allows many more variants than in the prior art.
From US 2010/0 074 673 A1, a fastening system is known for overhead storage bins that can be mounted in a suspended manner on a supporting structure, wherein this system comprises a preliminary locking device and a main locking device. The preliminary locking device is used during installation for the automatic, temporary fixing of the overhead storage bin on the supporting structure. The main locking device is then activated, in order to finally fix the overhead storage bin. The preliminary locking device is arranged below a main pin of the main locking device when viewed in the insertion direction. During the installation of the overhead storage bin, the main pin remains in its unlocked position, while a pressure part of the preliminary locking device is spring-loaded in the locking position. The main pin of the main locking device has thicker dimensions in comparison with the pressure part of the preliminary locking device, in order to absorb the static and dynamic forces during operation. The provision of a main locking device and a preliminary locking device makes the known fastening system complicated.
A fastening system of the type noted above is known from the document DE 10 2006 016 509 A1. This fastening system requires installation in two phases. In the first phase, the overhead storage bin is suspended with catch elements constructed as hooks in bearing elements. In the second phase, the overhead storage bin is then pivoted into the installation position. Here, two bolts are inserted into two locking elements and locked by engaging and setting a spring bias load. The locking can be released again through manual activation, in which a catch piece is shifted against the spring bias loading.
A similar fastening system is known from the document DE 10 2008 025 232 A1. It comprises a locking mechanism for mounting an aircraft interior equipment component to an aircraft structure, comprising a guide groove with an opening, a bolt that can be brought into engagement with the guide groove, and a spring-loaded closing element that frees the opening of the guide groove in a first position and closes the opening of the guide groove in a second position. The closing element is designed to be automatically returned into the second position due to the effect of its spring loading and to close the guide groove. The locking position is then maintained by the spring loading of the closing element.
From the document WO 2009/130268 A1, a fastening system for fastening an aircraft interior equipment element is known in which the interior equipment element is first suspended on a first fastening device, in order to then be pivoted into its actual installation position in which it is then locked by a second fastening device using a second locking device under spring bias loading.